The Buffalo Stomp at Thunder Burger & Bar is a bison patty topped with Gorgonzola and grilled onions. Photograph by Jeff Elkins.

Time to Celebrate

Citronelle (Latham Hotel, 3000 M St., NW;
202-625-2150)—chef Michel Richard’s flagship and the grande dame of the
area’s fine-dining scene—is closed for repairs. If you’ve got a special
occasion to toast, instead head to 1789 (1226 36th St.,
NW; 202-965-1789), in a Federal-style rowhouse lined with antique maps and
flowered wallpaper. Chef Anthony Lombardo is putting an Italian spin on
what has been a staunchly American menu, enriching a peach salad with
knobs of burrata cheese and pairing the famous rack of lamb with
polenta and ricotta-stuffed peppers.

The French institution La Chaumière (2813 M
St., NW; 202-338-1784) is rustic and casual, but flourishes such as
attentive service and Grand Marnier soufflés still make it feel special.
Hearty appetites can indulge in Emmental-and-Gruyère-capped onion soup, a
lovely boudin blanc, and classic quenelles of pike in a rich lobster
sauce.

Macarons, feathery croissants, and Breton-style butter
cakes are the things to pick up at Pâtisserie Poupon
(1645 Wisconsin Ave., NW; 202-342-3248), a narrow and minimalist French
bakery/cafe. The charming, brick-enclosed back patio is our favorite place
to sit.

For something lighter, head to the Argentinean-style gelateriaDolcezza (1560 Wisconsin Ave., NW; 202-333-4646), which
has scoops ranging from piquant gin-spiked cucumber sorbetto to luscious,
chocolate-flecked stracciatella.

Although the cupcake competition is fierce in this city, the
fudgily iced Chocolate Satin cupcake and the Razmanian Devil, a lemon
cupcake with raspberry-jam filling, have us convinced that Baked
& Wired (1052 Thomas Jefferson St., NW; 202-333-2500) is the
standout.

Pie Sisters (3423 M St., NW; 202-338-7437) is
a bit off the main drag, which means you aren’t likely to encounter
hourlong lines. Go for a wedge of rich coconut cream or double-crusted
apple, topped with pastry hearts.

Burger Crawl

The lounge at Bourbon Steak (2800 Pennsylvania
Ave., NW; 202-944-2026), Michael Mina’s restaurant in the Four Seasons
Hotel, is known for a high-gloss crowd, cocktails that take ten minutes to
make, and increasingly, some of the best burgers in the area. Don’t miss
the prime-steak burger, a spiffed-up take on a classic featuring
house-made pickles, terrific Cabot Clothbound cheddar, and an oversize,
buttery bun. The kimchee-laden Korean-style salmon burger is a good bet,
too. Accessorize them with Mina’s famous duck-fat fries, which come with a
trio of dipping sauces and seasonings.

Looking for something more laid-back (and easier on the
wallet)? The local-beef patties at Clyde’s (3236 M St.,
NW; 202-333-9180) and the Tombs (1226 36th St., NW;
202-337-6668)—two saloons that share an owner—are hefty and just sloppy
enough.

Finally, read our
critics’ takes on two new Georgetown restaurants—Mike Isabella’s Mexican
small-plates spot Bandolero and the Modern
American Unum.

Let’s Get Lunch

There are outposts of the salad chainletSweetgreen (3333 M St., NW; 202-337-9338) all over now,
but the tiny original is here. The Georgetown grads who opened it have
earned success with high-quality produce from local farms and innovative
bowls such as the Curry Gold, which mixes roast chicken, almonds, dried
cranberries, spinach, and beets with pineapple-yogurt
dressing.

Simple sandwiches and flatbreads are the thing at the chicPuro Café (1529 Wisconsin Ave., NW; 202-787-1937), and
there’s no better place to enjoy them—plus an effervescent, mint-flecked
house-made lemonade—than the loungey garden, complete with billowing red
canopies and sleek ottomans.

At Cafe Divan (1834 Wisconsin Ave., NW;
202-338-1747), linger over rounds of kebabs and Turkish mezze such as
feta-filled pastries called sigara borek, patties of lambkofte, and minty yogurt dip with garlic and peppers.

Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Logan Circle.